The role that crypto-currency can play in serving under-banked banked communities

Crypto’s role is spurring investment interest in communities that have not traditionally participated

Challenges of bitcoin – Hype vs Utility

How social media allows an Advisor to stand out and connect with a community

]]>NoExponential ETFs is excited to welcome Tyrone Ross Jr., as our Director of Financial Education. Josh Blechman and Tyrone discuss Exponential ETFs’ Detroit Invests in You initiative, aimed at increasing financial literacy across the city of Detroit. Tyrone discusses his personal connection to this cause and the life changing impact this program can have. Topics include:

Tyrone’s personal journey to financial literacy

The role that crypto-currency can play in serving under-banked banked communities

Crypto’s role is spurring investment interest in communities that have not traditionally participated

Challenges of bitcoin – Hype vs Utility

How social media allows an Advisor to stand out and connect with a community

]]>NoBill Kelly, CEO of the CAIA organization and self-described evangelist for alternative investment education and investor due diligence joins Phil to talk all things alts. The discussion includes:

Bill’s background and why he joined the CAIA association

CAIA’s mission and thought leadership

What is an alternative investment?

The viability of Hedge Funds as an investment vehicle

CAIA exam material

The stacking initiative

Liquid alternatives as a growing segment in mutual funds and ETFs

Giving back

Financial Data Professional (FDP) program

]]>REPLAY: Cheers to Three Years (EP.48)Mon, 26 Aug 2019 09:30:00 +0000Phil and Charles enjoy a Manhattan to reflect on three years of Exponential ETFs, tell the company origin story, and explain what an ETF sub-advisor does. [Replay from April, 2019]]]>NoPhil and Charles enjoy a Manhattan to reflect on three years of Exponential ETFs, tell the company origin story, and explain what an ETF sub-advisor does. [Replay from April, 2019]]]>Epsilon Theory: Part One (EP.47)Mon, 19 Aug 2019 09:30:00 +0000Ben Hunt Co-Founder and partner at Second Foundation Partners & Author at Epsilon Theory explains how pricing power has evolved in the financial services industry and explains how narratives are formed. This is the first part of a breathtaking conversation between Ben and Phil about how the financial markets are being turned into government utilities right before our eyes. This part of the discussion includes:

Ben’s experience in academia

Why Phil and Ben were each destined to end up in entrepreneurship

Being right versus making money for clients

Anatomy of a short seller

Being early versus being wrong

The market not rewarding deep work and the disconnect from intrinsic value

The transformation of capital markets

Pricing power: client ownership

Pricing power: intellectual property

Pricing power: government collaboration

The narrative machine

]]>NoBen Hunt Co-Founder and partner at Second Foundation Partners & Author at Epsilon Theory explains how pricing power has evolved in the financial services industry and explains how narratives are formed. This is the first part of a breathtaking conversation between Ben and Phil about how the financial markets are being turned into government utilities right before our eyes. This part of the discussion includes:

Ben’s experience in academia

Why Phil and Ben were each destined to end up in entrepreneurship

Being right versus making money for clients

Anatomy of a short seller

Being early versus being wrong

The market not rewarding deep work and the disconnect from intrinsic value

The transformation of capital markets

Pricing power: client ownership

Pricing power: intellectual property

Pricing power: government collaboration

The narrative machine

]]>The ETF Approval Process (EP.46)Mon, 12 Aug 2019 09:30:00 +0000Kathleen Moriarty, Partner at Chapman and Cutler, and the lawyer who spearheaded countless ETF innovations joins Phil to talk about the legal and regulatory process. Kathleen shares stories from her career and jumps into several of today’s most important legal and regulatory issues. The discussion includes:

Launching SPY and early expectations of the fund

Waiting seven years for leveraged ETF approvals

The forthcoming ETF Rule

Bitcoin ETF – where and why it is being held up, and expectations going forward

The GLD approval, and similarities to the Bitcoin process

Non-transparent ETF approval and ramifications to the industry

How Kathleen would improve the regulatory & market structure

What it is like to change law firms

]]>NoKathleen Moriarty, Partner at Chapman and Cutler, and the lawyer who spearheaded countless ETF innovations joins Phil to talk about the legal and regulatory process. Kathleen shares stories from her career and jumps into several of today’s most important legal and regulatory issues. The discussion includes:

Launching SPY and early expectations of the fund

Waiting seven years for leveraged ETF approvals

The forthcoming ETF Rule

Bitcoin ETF – where and why it is being held up, and expectations going forward

The GLD approval, and similarities to the Bitcoin process

Non-transparent ETF approval and ramifications to the industry

How Kathleen would improve the regulatory & market structure

What it is like to change law firms

]]>Bps, Pieces and Wrestling (EP.45)Mon, 05 Aug 2019 09:30:00 +0000Phil heads to Huber Financial in Chicago to meet with their CIO, Phil Huber to talk about factor investing, blogging and more. They discuss:

Providing client transparency through the blog

Mixing active & passive strategies

Having conviction in factors during cap weights run

How the bps and pieces blog got started

Why simple is an over-rated concept

Phil’s investing cheat sheet

Working with his father

Wholesaling and the transition in distribution in the industry

Why he loves wrestling

]]>NoPhil heads to Huber Financial in Chicago to meet with their CIO, Phil Huber to talk about factor investing, blogging and more. They discuss:

Providing client transparency through the blog

Mixing active & passive strategies

Having conviction in factors during cap weights run

How the bps and pieces blog got started

Why simple is an over-rated concept

Phil’s investing cheat sheet

Working with his father

Wholesaling and the transition in distribution in the industry

Why he loves wrestling

]]>Utility vs Entertainment (EP.44)Tue, 30 Jul 2019 19:00:00 +0000Oliver Renick from TD Ameritrade Network joins Phil to talk about how new media programming is shaking things up the financial media, and how TD Ameritrade Network is using digital tools to provide innovative content. They discuss:

Digital media

Utility of content

Traditional media and the traditional television format

Long-form content versus quick hits on social media

Market skewness and Oliver’s take on economic policy

Bitcoin as a measure of overall risk appetite

]]>NoOliver Renick from TD Ameritrade Network joins Phil to talk about how new media programming is shaking things up the financial media, and how TD Ameritrade Network is using digital tools to provide innovative content. They discuss:

Digital media

Utility of content

Traditional media and the traditional television format

Long-form content versus quick hits on social media

Market skewness and Oliver’s take on economic policy

Bitcoin as a measure of overall risk appetite

]]>Rating Funds & Rating Portfolios (EP.43)Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:30:00 +0000Ben Johnson, Director of Global Research at Morningstar joins Phil for a deep conversation about career and ETFs. They discuss:

After a false start in architecture, Ben discovered finance

Investing lessons from collecting baseball cards as kids

Morningstar’s ETF rating approach, including classifications

Persistence of top rated funds and predictive value of the ratings

How to rate portfolios of ETFs, and Morningstar’s new portfolio rating service

Morningstar’s conference and why the ETF and mutual fund conferences were merged

The outlook for non-transparent ETFs

The obstacle Ben had to overcome to move his career forward

]]>Random Roger (EP.42)Wed, 17 Jul 2019 14:00:00 +0000Phil heads to the Arizona forest to talk to “Random Roger” Nusbaum about ETFs, blogging and being a fire chief. The discussion includes:

Discovering ETFs early on

The sweet spot for thematic ETF investing

Correlations in up/down markets

Active versus passive “does not matter”

How active and passive can coexist in portfolios

Buying closed end funds

Incorporating bitcoin into broad portfolios

The ETF Maven blog

Roger’s health tips

]]>NoPhil heads to the Arizona forest to talk to “Random Roger” Nusbaum about ETFs, blogging and being a fire chief. The discussion includes:

Discovering ETFs early on

The sweet spot for thematic ETF investing

Correlations in up/down markets

Active versus passive “does not matter”

How active and passive can coexist in portfolios

Buying closed end funds

Incorporating bitcoin into broad portfolios

The ETF Maven blog

Roger’s health tips

]]>Conviction (EP.41)Wed, 10 Jul 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Catherine Wood and Tom Staudt from Ark Invest join Phil to talk about the early days of Ark Invest and how they built their business. Cathie tells the story of her eureka moment when she had the idea for disrupting the asset management industry and how she battle-tested the idea. Tom tells us how he met Cathie and ultimately got an offer letter filled with exclamation points! Cathie and Tom talk about the early lean years, how the firm pivoted, and how her conviction and confidence in the firm and in her bold calls has never wavered. Cathie reveals how she manages criticism from twitter trolls and what it’s like to become a meme, and being memed. The conversation then moves to copycat funds and Tom explains how imitation from big firms is a form of validation.]]>No Catherine Wood and Tom Staudt from Ark Invest join Phil to talk about the early days of Ark Invest and how they built their business. Cathie tells the story of her eureka moment when she had the idea for disrupting the asset management industry and how she battle-tested the idea. Tom tells us how he met Cathie and ultimately got an offer letter filled with exclamation points! Cathie and Tom talk about the early lean years, how the firm pivoted, and how her conviction and confidence in the firm and in her bold calls has never wavered. Cathie reveals how she manages criticism from twitter trolls and what it’s like to become a meme, and being memed. The conversation then moves to copycat funds and Tom explains how imitation from big firms is a form of validation.]]>Indicize (EP.40)Wed, 03 Jul 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Craig Lazzara from S&P joins Phil to talk about the growth in factor investing. Craig shares highlights from the latest factor research from S&P which leads to a discussion about chasing factors, the crowding effect, and whether choosing factors is different than actively choosing stocks. Craig then explains why S&P constituents are chosen by committee. The conversation continues to SPIVA and performance of active managers during down markets. Craig talks about the lottery effect and then Phil talks about the Winner’s Curse. Finally, Craig explains why the bow tie became his signature look and what job he would love to have if he could not work in finance.]]>No Craig Lazzara from S&P joins Phil to talk about the growth in factor investing. Craig shares highlights from the latest factor research from S&P which leads to a discussion about chasing factors, the crowding effect, and whether choosing factors is different than actively choosing stocks. Craig then explains why S&P constituents are chosen by committee. The conversation continues to SPIVA and performance of active managers during down markets. Craig talks about the lottery effect and then Phil talks about the Winner’s Curse. Finally, Craig explains why the bow tie became his signature look and what job he would love to have if he could not work in finance.]]>Credibility and a Tough Industry (EP.39)Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Drew Voros joins Phil to reflect on over 25 years in journalism and the state of the news industry. Phil draws parallels to the financial services industry in recent years. Drew emphasizes the importance of building credibility and how that remains the key focus atetf.com. Drew explains how financial journalism is distinguished from the broader field. They discuss twitter and how the digital age both helps and hurts journalism. Phil tells a story about how a dinner with Ben Hunt showed him that online communications can be deeper than in-person. Drew then talks about incorporating multi-media such as video and podcasts onto the site and concludes with what content works best onetf.com.]]>No Drew Voros joins Phil to reflect on over 25 years in journalism and the state of the news industry. Phil draws parallels to the financial services industry in recent years. Drew emphasizes the importance of building credibility and how that remains the key focus atetf.com. Drew explains how financial journalism is distinguished from the broader field. They discuss twitter and how the digital age both helps and hurts journalism. Phil tells a story about how a dinner with Ben Hunt showed him that online communications can be deeper than in-person. Drew then talks about incorporating multi-media such as video and podcasts onto the site and concludes with what content works best onetf.com.]]>Changes & Exchanges (EP.38)Tue, 18 Jun 2019 20:00:00 +0000 Phil is joined by his old boss and mentor, Laura Morrison. Laura talks about her career at NYSE and how she left NYSE to build an ETF listing venue at CBOE. She discusses the challenges in building a business line from the ground up, and how the exchange has led the ETF industry on countless market structure initiatives. Laura then breaks the news of CBOE’s new market maker incentive program, which can be the catalyst for significant market quality improvements in ETF trading. They discuss the exchange’s value proposition and why competition among listing exchanges is so fierce. Phil notes that Laura’s teams are defined by their scrappiness, and then Laura explains her leadership style and how trusting and empowering employees can be the best way to motivate them. The conversation closes out with Laura’s love of classic cars and which classic car is her all time favorite.]]>No Phil is joined by his old boss and mentor, Laura Morrison. Laura talks about her career at NYSE and how she left NYSE to build an ETF listing venue at CBOE. She discusses the challenges in building a business line from the ground up, and how the exchange has led the ETF industry on countless market structure initiatives. Laura then breaks the news of CBOE’s new market maker incentive program, which can be the catalyst for significant market quality improvements in ETF trading. They discuss the exchange’s value proposition and why competition among listing exchanges is so fierce. Phil notes that Laura’s teams are defined by their scrappiness, and then Laura explains her leadership style and how trusting and empowering employees can be the best way to motivate them. The conversation closes out with Laura’s love of classic cars and which classic car is her all time favorite.]]>Single Factors: Diversification with Differentiation (EP.37)Thu, 06 Jun 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Phil is joined by Sam Huszczo, founder of SGH Wealth Management. Sam talks about how he modernized SGH Wealth Management, and how using single factor ETFs were instrumental in that transition. They talk about Sam’s time as head of the CFA Society of Detroit, and what a local chapter head does. The two debate whether the factor framework is replacing classic securities valuation models, and why multi-factor ETFs can water down the point of using smart beta funds. The two talk about ETF sales models and what adds value to Sam and his practice, and round out the conversation with a look at regulation in the industry and some buzz about what is happening in Detroit.]]>No Phil is joined by Sam Huszczo, founder of SGH Wealth Management. Sam talks about how he modernized SGH Wealth Management, and how using single factor ETFs were instrumental in that transition. They talk about Sam’s time as head of the CFA Society of Detroit, and what a local chapter head does. The two debate whether the factor framework is replacing classic securities valuation models, and why multi-factor ETFs can water down the point of using smart beta funds. The two talk about ETF sales models and what adds value to Sam and his practice, and round out the conversation with a look at regulation in the industry and some buzz about what is happening in Detroit.]]>The Enigma Asset Manager (EP.36)Thu, 23 May 2019 14:16:09 +0000Ed Lopez, Head of ETF Product at Van Eck joins Phil. The two reminisce on their days working together at Rydex Investments and then talk about how marketing and product management are intertwined. They talk about alternative investments, including gold, bitcoin and inflation hedges, and about which products they love. Finally, they round out the conversation with career advice and observations from their years working in the ETF industry.]]>NoEd Lopez, Head of ETF Product at Van Eck joins Phil. The two reminisce on their days working together at Rydex Investments and then talk about how marketing and product management are intertwined. They talk about alternative investments, including gold, bitcoin and inflation hedges, and about which products they love. Finally, they round out the conversation with career advice and observations from their years working in the ETF industry.]]>Where Quant and ESG Collide (EP.35)Tue, 14 May 2019 14:33:13 +0000Linda introduces the new initiative from Women in ETFs: the Speaker’s Bureau program which connects conference organizers and media bookers with female leaders in the industry. Linda then shares her journey which began in China and continued in Canada and the US and ultimately had personal experiences that led her to focus on environmental issues and founding Purview. Linda makes the case that ESG as an investment factor can lead to portfolio outperformance and discusses Purview’s framework for evaluating investments. Phil and Linda then discuss Chinese Hot Pot and where to find authentic Chinese food, and then discuss a number of macro issues facing China, including the trade war and sovereign debt. Linda then shares some context about how and why she helped to start Women in ETFs and the organization’s mission.

]]>NoLinda introduces the new initiative from Women in ETFs: the Speaker’s Bureau program which connects conference organizers and media bookers with female leaders in the industry. Linda then shares her journey which began in China and continued in Canada and the US and ultimately had personal experiences that led her to focus on environmental issues and founding Purview. Linda makes the case that ESG as an investment factor can lead to portfolio outperformance and discusses Purview’s framework for evaluating investments. Phil and Linda then discuss Chinese Hot Pot and where to find authentic Chinese food, and then discuss a number of macro issues facing China, including the trade war and sovereign debt. Linda then shares some context about how and why she helped to start Women in ETFs and the organization’s mission.

]]>Cheers to Three Years (EP.34)Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Phil and Charles enjoy a Manhattan to reflect on three years of Exponential ETFs.]]>No Phil and Charles enjoy a Manhattan to reflect on three years of Exponential ETFs.]]>Detroit Hustles Harder (EP.33)Tue, 16 Apr 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Phil and Jason Raznick sit down in the middle of the Benzinga offices, in the middle of downtown Detroit as Jason welcomes Exponential ETFs to the neighborhood, having just moved offices from Ann Arbor to Detroit. Jason talks about how Benzinga got started and makes the pitch for businesses to come to Detroit. The two talk about old media versus new media, trading versus investing, and whether trading signals still work. Jason shares his management style and his thoughts on how a company can come together and how people can make a big impact by showing some extra hustle.]]>No Phil and Jason Raznick sit down in the middle of the Benzinga offices, in the middle of downtown Detroit as Jason welcomes Exponential ETFs to the neighborhood, having just moved offices from Ann Arbor to Detroit. Jason talks about how Benzinga got started and makes the pitch for businesses to come to Detroit. The two talk about old media versus new media, trading versus investing, and whether trading signals still work. Jason shares his management style and his thoughts on how a company can come together and how people can make a big impact by showing some extra hustle.]]>Smashing ETF Misconceptions (EP.32)Tue, 09 Apr 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Phil and Christian talk about ETF issuers supporting each other, and then attack the misconception that assets under management are a fair measure of ETF liquidity. They take turns drafting specific ETF misconceptions and explain why those misconceptions are wrong. The two end with an explosive rant about anti competitive issues in the ETF industry and how those issues can harm ETF investors down the road.]]>No Phil and Christian talk about ETF issuers supporting each other, and then attack the misconception that assets under management are a fair measure of ETF liquidity. They take turns drafting specific ETF misconceptions and explain why those misconceptions are wrong. The two end with an explosive rant about anti competitive issues in the ETF industry and how those issues can harm ETF investors down the road.]]>Macro Headwinds & Mixed Signals (EP.31)Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:30:00 +0000 Phil and Josh are joined by Benjamin Lavine, CIO of 3D Asset Management, a TAMP platform and model portfolio provider. Ben shares his macro outlook in light of the recent yield curve inversion and global events and shows where how the global markets are showing mixed signals. After walking through the macro environment, Ben shares some recent research about the leveraged loan market which leads to a discussion on how to evaluate corporate credit and the efficacy of the rating agencies. The three debate using quantitative factors for evaluating credit risk, as opposed to relying on the rating agencies. Finally, the discussion goes back to the ETF industry and how smart beta funds are a way to use those quantitative factors in place of traditional active management.]]>No Phil and Josh are joined by Benjamin Lavine, CIO of 3D Asset Management, a TAMP platform and model portfolio provider. Ben shares his macro outlook in light of the recent yield curve inversion and global events and shows where how the global markets are showing mixed signals. After walking through the macro environment, Ben shares some recent research about the leveraged loan market which leads to a discussion on how to evaluate corporate credit and the efficacy of the rating agencies. The three debate using quantitative factors for evaluating credit risk, as opposed to relying on the rating agencies. Finally, the discussion goes back to the ETF industry and how smart beta funds are a way to use those quantitative factors in place of traditional active management.]]>How Crypto Stole the ETF Mojo (EP.30)Thu, 28 Mar 2019 19:03:50 +0000 Phil talks with Teddy Fusaro, COO of Bitwise Asset Management about Teddy’s transition from the ETF industry to being a CryptoCurrency innovator. Phil hits Teddy with some tough questions about the viability of crypto currency, and the two discuss innovation, the future of payments, and the Wisdom of Bitwise board member Naval Ravikant. The conversation circles back to ETFs and why the ETF market is tougher now than ever before, and how Phil and Exponential plan to navigate the storm in the asset management industry.]]>No Phil talks with Teddy Fusaro, COO of Bitwise Asset Management about Teddy’s transition from the ETF industry to being a CryptoCurrency innovator. Phil hits Teddy with some tough questions about the viability of crypto currency, and the two discuss innovation, the future of payments, and the Wisdom of Bitwise board member Naval Ravikant. The conversation circles back to ETFs and why the ETF market is tougher now than ever before, and how Phil and Exponential plan to navigate the storm in the asset management industry.]]>The Factor of Cap Weight (EP.29)Thu, 21 Mar 2019 19:04:21 +0000 Phil and Josh get quanty with Patrick Gelshenen, Execusitve Directive of TOBAM. They discuss quantitative portfolio factors, and whether market cap weighting is itself a factor. The three discuss when market cap weighting tends to perform well, and when it doesn’t. Patrick emphasizes his firm’s approach to diversification while Phil and Josh wonder if the market environment has contributed to the idea that market cap weighting is sufficient as an investment thesis.]]>No Phil and Josh get quanty with Patrick Gelshenen, Execusitve Directive of TOBAM. They discuss quantitative portfolio factors, and whether market cap weighting is itself a factor. The three discuss when market cap weighting tends to perform well, and when it doesn’t. Patrick emphasizes his firm’s approach to diversification while Phil and Josh wonder if the market environment has contributed to the idea that market cap weighting is sufficient as an investment thesis.]]>Women in ETFs & ETFs Around the World (EP.28)Wed, 13 Mar 2019 16:13:13 +0000 Phil sits down for a one on one talk with Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, ETFGI & Co-Founder Women in ETFs, to learn how she became the leader in ETF research. Debbie goes on to discuss the origins of Women in ETFs and why women are under-represented in the financial services industry. They talk about Women in ETFs’ mission and how it is having an impact. Finally, they discuss the global reach of ETFs and how the popularity of ETFs is extending well beyond the United States.]]>No Phil sits down for a one on one talk with Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, ETFGI & Co-Founder Women in ETFs, to learn how she became the leader in ETF research. Debbie goes on to discuss the origins of Women in ETFs and why women are under-represented in the financial services industry. They talk about Women in ETFs’ mission and how it is having an impact. Finally, they discuss the global reach of ETFs and how the popularity of ETFs is extending well beyond the United States.]]>Fintech & Gratitude (EP.27)Tue, 05 Mar 2019 16:52:42 +0000Phil is joined by Tyrone Ross of NobleBridge Wealth and Michael Venuto of Toroso Investments. The crew starts off by discussing how to mix venture capital with traditional asset allocation models (1:16), and Mike tells us about the new Millennial Permanent Portfolio (5:20). Phil brings up Fintech and wonders why ETFs are not considered part of the Fintech genre (5:58). The Fintech discussion leads into Crypto (10:15) and Mike and Tyrone make the bullish case to Phil, who is the crypto skeptic. Finally, Tyrone shares his back-story and why he makes sure to express gratitude on a regular basis (26:10).]]>NoPhil is joined by Tyrone Ross of NobleBridge Wealth and Michael Venuto of Toroso Investments. The crew starts off by discussing how to mix venture capital with traditional asset allocation models (1:16), and Mike tells us about the new Millennial Permanent Portfolio (5:20). Phil brings up Fintech and wonders why ETFs are not considered part of the Fintech genre (5:58). The Fintech discussion leads into Crypto (10:15) and Mike and Tyrone make the bullish case to Phil, who is the crypto skeptic. Finally, Tyrone shares his back-story and why he makes sure to express gratitude on a regular basis (26:10).]]>Institutional Investors Adopting ETF with Reggie Browne and Joanne Hill (EP.26)Wed, 23 Jan 2019 19:57:40 +0000Exponential ETFs’ CEO Phil Bak is joined in studio by Reggie Browne - Senior Managing Director of the ETFs Group at Cantor Fitzgerald and Joanne Hill - Head of Research and Strategy at CBOE Vest. Tune in to hear these industry titans discuss what makes ETFs attractive to institutional clients, the ways that institutional investors utilize ETFs and how that adoption curve has differed from the retail market.

The guests discussed Jack Bogle’s legacy and then explored how the market’s trading architecture need to be adjusted in order to keep up with the speed and ease which technology has brought to trading? What levers can be pulled to adapt a market originally built for stocks, to accommodate ETFs and other investment innovations that make up an increasing portion of total trading volume? Find out what is truly important when judging ETF liquidity, how options are the newest frontier in ETF portfolio construction.

]]>NoExponential ETFs’ CEO Phil Bak is joined in studio by Reggie Browne - Senior Managing Director of the ETFs Group at Cantor Fitzgerald and Joanne Hill - Head of Research and Strategy at CBOE Vest. Tune in to hear these industry titans discuss what makes ETFs attractive to institutional clients, the ways that institutional investors utilize ETFs and how that adoption curve has differed from the retail market.

The guests discussed Jack Bogle’s legacy and then explored how the market’s trading architecture need to be adjusted in order to keep up with the speed and ease which technology has brought to trading? What levers can be pulled to adapt a market originally built for stocks, to accommodate ETFs and other investment innovations that make up an increasing portion of total trading volume? Find out what is truly important when judging ETF liquidity, how options are the newest frontier in ETF portfolio construction.

]]>The ETF Experience: Best of 2018 (EP.25)Mon, 24 Dec 2018 15:50:38 +0000It’s the Best of the ETF Experience Podcast! We go back and listen to conversations from:

]]>What Went Right In 2018, Looking to 2019 (EP.24)Tue, 18 Dec 2018 14:52:53 +0000Exponential ETFs Chief Strategist Kevin Quigg and Director of Capital Markets Josh Blechman take inventory of Exponential ETFs’ 2018 research, articles and blog posts to grade ourselves on what we themes we hit and which we missed during this up and down market year. We examine the role played by the “Size” factor, looked back at FAANG throughout the year including what drove the uncoupling of the trade. We analyze the changing definition of “Cheap” as It pertains to value stocks and discuss efficient means of accessing those factors in the market. Additionally, listen to learn about the core value proposition behind Amazon’s Empire, if the ETF market place has a hidden Achilles heel and in what industries do we see opportunity moving forward.]]>NoExponential ETFs Chief Strategist Kevin Quigg and Director of Capital Markets Josh Blechman take inventory of Exponential ETFs’ 2018 research, articles and blog posts to grade ourselves on what we themes we hit and which we missed during this up and down market year. We examine the role played by the “Size” factor, looked back at FAANG throughout the year including what drove the uncoupling of the trade. We analyze the changing definition of “Cheap” as It pertains to value stocks and discuss efficient means of accessing those factors in the market. Additionally, listen to learn about the core value proposition behind Amazon’s Empire, if the ETF market place has a hidden Achilles heel and in what industries do we see opportunity moving forward.]]>The Evolution of Advisor/Client Communication with Michael Batnick and Nick Maggiulli (EP.23)Tue, 11 Dec 2018 19:57:47 +0000Welcome back to the ETF Experience. This week Kevin Quigg, Phil Bak and Josh Blechman dive into the recurring segment: What The Hell Is Going On? – 2019 look-forward storyline edition (Tariffs and Rates). Alongside our newest topic - Invest, Trade or Short – where the panelist are given three choices and must pick which they would Invest in, which they would trade around and which they would short (Example: Gold, Cash, Crypto – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

Later, Michael Batnick – Director of Research at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of The Irrelevant Investor and Nick Maggiulli – Manager of Analytics at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of Of Dollars and Data; Join us in the studio to discuss the evolution of the mediums through which financial professionals can connect to a larger audience beyond just their clients and how they manage the grind of producing continuous content. Listen to find out which of them was “discovered” by a renowned Wall Street Journal columnist? How far we are from a critical level of Index investing as a percentage of the market. Debating the merits of twitter anonymity, the usefulness of social media in financial services and who wins the future between Apple and Microsoft.

]]>NoWelcome back to the ETF Experience. This week Kevin Quigg, Phil Bak and Josh Blechman dive into the recurring segment: What The Hell Is Going On? – 2019 look-forward storyline edition (Tariffs and Rates). Alongside our newest topic - Invest, Trade or Short – where the panelist are given three choices and must pick which they would Invest in, which they would trade around and which they would short (Example: Gold, Cash, Crypto – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

Later, Michael Batnick – Director of Research at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of The Irrelevant Investor and Nick Maggiulli – Manager of Analytics at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of Of Dollars and Data; Join us in the studio to discuss the evolution of the mediums through which financial professionals can connect to a larger audience beyond just their clients and how they manage the grind of producing continuous content. Listen to find out which of them was “discovered” by a renowned Wall Street Journal columnist? How far we are from a critical level of Index investing as a percentage of the market. Debating the merits of twitter anonymity, the usefulness of social media in financial services and who wins the future between Apple and Microsoft.

]]>Investment Advisor Impact: Talking Generational Wealth Transfer with Ryan Kirlin and Bill Smalley (EP.22)Wed, 05 Dec 2018 10:30:00 +0000This week’s episode starts off with segments such as: What The Hell Is Going On: Politics Edition – Can the political poles be pulled to the center?; Investment Article Book Club – The difference between Quant-As-A-Guide and Quant-As-A-Law; If I Were a Billionaire… - What is the first thing you would do? and Investing Theme Wars - pick your horse between Marijuana, Batteries and Crypto.

Ryan Kirlin, Director of Capital Market at Alpha Architect and Bill Smalley the Head of Products at Virtus ETF Solutions join us in studio to discuss the implications of the pending Boomer generational wealth transfer, what that means from an advisor perspective and how millennials’ interaction with financial products differ from their parents. Find out which millennial guest “doesn’t own a house, but does like avocados”. Are ETFs one thing that Millennials aren’t ruining? Explore the link between ETF adoption and the democratization of knowledge. Currently, the average age of financial Advisor is in their 60’s. Will ETF adoption accelerate even further as younger advisors increasingly take over? Over what timeline might that take place? Finally a thoughtful discussion about walking the line with respect to regulation vs innovation in the financial services arena and how can small companies compete with the industry giants.

]]>NoThis week’s episode starts off with segments such as: What The Hell Is Going On: Politics Edition – Can the political poles be pulled to the center?; Investment Article Book Club – The difference between Quant-As-A-Guide and Quant-As-A-Law; If I Were a Billionaire… - What is the first thing you would do? and Investing Theme Wars - pick your horse between Marijuana, Batteries and Crypto.

Ryan Kirlin, Director of Capital Market at Alpha Architect and Bill Smalley the Head of Products at Virtus ETF Solutions join us in studio to discuss the implications of the pending Boomer generational wealth transfer, what that means from an advisor perspective and how millennials’ interaction with financial products differ from their parents. Find out which millennial guest “doesn’t own a house, but does like avocados”. Are ETFs one thing that Millennials aren’t ruining? Explore the link between ETF adoption and the democratization of knowledge. Currently, the average age of financial Advisor is in their 60’s. Will ETF adoption accelerate even further as younger advisors increasingly take over? Over what timeline might that take place? Finally a thoughtful discussion about walking the line with respect to regulation vs innovation in the financial services arena and how can small companies compete with the industry giants.

]]>The SPIVA Diva and the Bloomberg ETF Intelligentsia: Exploring the Perks and Perils of Active vs Passive (EP.21)Tue, 20 Nov 2018 15:02:20 +0000Exponential ETFs Director of Capital Markets, Josh Blechman and CEO, Phil Bak – are joined in studio by Aye Soe, Managing Director of Research and Design for the Americas at S&P Dow Jones Indices (also known as “The SPIVA Diva”) and Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence – to discuss thoughts on the perils and perks Active vs Passive investing, the SPIVA report, the double edge sword of benchmarking against an Index, opportunities in the Mid-Cap space and innovation in fixed income ETFs.

Interested in how active managers have done vs passive benchmarks? Is your “Factor Fund” pure, or watered-down exposure? How might managers approach “Smart Beta” for fixed income ETFs? What asset class does Eric believe is experiencing “The Jan Brady Effect”? and what emerging trend in flows does he call “Faces Over Formulas”? Aye and Eric are at the forefront of ETF and Index innovation, diving deep with us into the current market environment as they see it, the importance of knowing what you own and what future opportunities excite them most.

]]>NoExponential ETFs Director of Capital Markets, Josh Blechman and CEO, Phil Bak – are joined in studio by Aye Soe, Managing Director of Research and Design for the Americas at S&P Dow Jones Indices (also known as “The SPIVA Diva”) and Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence – to discuss thoughts on the perils and perks Active vs Passive investing, the SPIVA report, the double edge sword of benchmarking against an Index, opportunities in the Mid-Cap space and innovation in fixed income ETFs.

Interested in how active managers have done vs passive benchmarks? Is your “Factor Fund” pure, or watered-down exposure? How might managers approach “Smart Beta” for fixed income ETFs? What asset class does Eric believe is experiencing “The Jan Brady Effect”? and what emerging trend in flows does he call “Faces Over Formulas”? Aye and Eric are at the forefront of ETF and Index innovation, diving deep with us into the current market environment as they see it, the importance of knowing what you own and what future opportunities excite them most.

]]>Challenges of Market Makers: Chris Hempstead and Dan Cupkovic (EP.20)Tue, 13 Nov 2018 18:38:08 +0000Exponential ETFs Chief Strategist Kevin Quigg and Director of Capital Markets Josh Blechman delve into topics including: Possible reasons behind the stock market’s relative indifference to this latest rounds of earnings “Beats”; Imagining a future where legalized sports betting is part of an individual’s standard asset allocation and housed within a unified brokerage account; Best/Worst parts of the Fall Season; and a conversation with Chris Hempstead, Head of ETF Sales at Deutsche Bank - on the capabilities and challenges of ETF market makers, the role they play in the ETF eco-system and how technology is changing everything.

Bonus Segment: An interview with Dan Cupkovic, Director of Investments at ARGI Financial Group – On the newly launched BlackSwan Growth and Treasury Core ETF (SWAN). The fund is designed to protect against (you guessed it) BlackSwan events. With the majority of assets in historically low-volatility Treasuries, remaining assets are used to purchase “in-the-money” calls (options with a strike price below the market price on the S&P 500). The goal is to achieve capital appreciation above inflation while minimizing volatility as compared to standard asset-allocated investments. Excellent insight is provided on the idea behind the design and where this product fits within a portfolio allocation model.

]]>NoExponential ETFs Chief Strategist Kevin Quigg and Director of Capital Markets Josh Blechman delve into topics including: Possible reasons behind the stock market’s relative indifference to this latest rounds of earnings “Beats”; Imagining a future where legalized sports betting is part of an individual’s standard asset allocation and housed within a unified brokerage account; Best/Worst parts of the Fall Season; and a conversation with Chris Hempstead, Head of ETF Sales at Deutsche Bank - on the capabilities and challenges of ETF market makers, the role they play in the ETF eco-system and how technology is changing everything.

Bonus Segment: An interview with Dan Cupkovic, Director of Investments at ARGI Financial Group – On the newly launched BlackSwan Growth and Treasury Core ETF (SWAN). The fund is designed to protect against (you guessed it) BlackSwan events. With the majority of assets in historically low-volatility Treasuries, remaining assets are used to purchase “in-the-money” calls (options with a strike price below the market price on the S&P 500). The goal is to achieve capital appreciation above inflation while minimizing volatility as compared to standard asset-allocated investments. Excellent insight is provided on the idea behind the design and where this product fits within a portfolio allocation model.

]]>Past, Present, and Future of the Industry: Dave Nadig and Steven Schoenfeld (EP.19)Tue, 06 Nov 2018 10:30:00 +0000Hear about the origins of the ETF industry from the individuals who were there from the start. Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak of Exponential ETFs are joined in the studio by Dave Nadig, Managing Director of ETF.com and Steve Schoenfeld, Founder and CIO of BlueStar Indexes (some of the earliest voices to bring ETF research to the masses) to discuss the early days of ETFs, how far they have come and what may be in store for the future of the industry.

Do you know why we say Indices instead of Indexes? What is the worst Index of all time? Are ETFs the Apex Predator of financial wrappers? Will the asset manager of the future come from the FAANG names? Does Dave Nadig really use the term “Bullpucky”? These topics and more are covered in this past, present and future episode of the ETF Exceptional Podcast.

]]>NoHear about the origins of the ETF industry from the individuals who were there from the start. Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak of Exponential ETFs are joined in the studio by Dave Nadig, Managing Director of ETF.com and Steve Schoenfeld, Founder and CIO of BlueStar Indexes (some of the earliest voices to bring ETF research to the masses) to discuss the early days of ETFs, how far they have come and what may be in store for the future of the industry.

Do you know why we say Indices instead of Indexes? What is the worst Index of all time? Are ETFs the Apex Predator of financial wrappers? Will the asset manager of the future come from the FAANG names? Does Dave Nadig really use the term “Bullpucky”? These topics and more are covered in this past, present and future episode of the ETF Exceptional Podcast.

]]>Diversification: Joe Smith & Todd Rosenbluth (EP.18)Wed, 31 Oct 2018 12:36:31 +0000 Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak sit down with Joe Smith, Deputy Chief Investment Officer from CLS Investments and Todd Rosenbluth, Director of ETF Research from CFRA, to focus on diversification in relation to equity markets, fixed income ETFs, and gold.]]>No Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak sit down with Joe Smith, Deputy Chief Investment Officer from CLS Investments and Todd Rosenbluth, Director of ETF Research from CFRA, to focus on diversification in relation to equity markets, fixed income ETFs, and gold.]]>Sage Hill Capital (EP.17)Mon, 08 Oct 2018 09:30:00 +0000On this week's episode, Kevin and Phil are joined by Michigan hockey pros and Principals at Sage Hill Capital, Dave Roberts and Chris Fragner, to discuss the quick careers of hockey players and planning for retirement, and hockey's evolution in the Moneyball era.]]>NoOn this week's episode, Kevin and Phil are joined by Michigan hockey pros and Principals at Sage Hill Capital, Dave Roberts and Chris Fragner, to discuss the quick careers of hockey players and planning for retirement, and hockey's evolution in the Moneyball era.]]>E16: A background in Swedish cryptology | Convergence of econometrics and psychometrics | Developing the model to measure customer satisfactionMon, 24 Sep 2018 20:58:25 +0000Phil Bak is joined by Dr. Claes Fornell, Chairman of Exponential ETFs and Founder of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), to discuss the birth of a monthly economic indicator of the quality of economic output.]]>NoPhil Bak is joined by Dr. Claes Fornell, Chairman of Exponential ETFs and Founder of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), to discuss the birth of a monthly economic indicator of the quality of economic output.]]>E15: Getting Bitcoin through application processes | Building a PR Firm in Philly | Challenges facing ETF providers vs other Financial ServicesTue, 04 Sep 2018 19:35:36 +0000Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak sit down with Joe Anthony, President of Financial Services at Gregory FCA, to discuss the ecosystem within the ETF industry. They also touch on getting Bitcoin through the application process and overcoming the unique challenges facing ETF providers.]]>NoKevin Quigg and Phil Bak sit down with Joe Anthony, President of Financial Services at Gregory FCA, to discuss the ecosystem within the ETF industry. They also touch on getting Bitcoin through the application process and overcoming the unique challenges facing ETF providers.]]>E14: Entrepreneurial journeys | Starting a vineyard in downtown DetroitMon, 20 Aug 2018 15:41:07 +0000On this week's episode of the Exponential ETFs Exceptional Podcast, Phil Bak is joined by Blake Kownacki from Detroit Vineyards as he details his journey to establish a vineyard and winery in downtown Detroit.]]>NoOn this week's episode of the Exponential ETFs Exceptional Podcast, Phil Bak is joined by Blake Kownacki from Detroit Vineyards as he details his journey to establish a vineyard and winery in downtown Detroit.]]>E13: How ETFs affect underlying stocks | Poker & Finance | What is Smart Beta?Mon, 13 Aug 2018 17:33:56 +0000On this week's episode of the Exponential ETFs Exceptional Podcast, guests Mike Venuto and David Dziekanski from Toroso Investments join to discuss how ETFs affect underlying stock.]]>NoOn this week's episode of the Exponential ETFs Exceptional Podcast, guests Mike Venuto and David Dziekanski from Toroso Investments join to discuss how ETFs affect underlying stock.]]>E12: Concentration in the S&P| Well done is better than well said | Hard currency vs. cryptocurrencyMon, 06 Aug 2018 17:03:28 +0000Phil Bak and Kevin Quigg are back together for this week's episode to talk about concentration in the S&P 500. Later, Axel Merk from Merk Investments sits in with Kevin Quigg to discuss where the markets are now and what people should be looking for. ]]>NoPhil Bak and Kevin Quigg are back together for this week's episode to talk about concentration in the S&P 500. Later, Axel Merk from Merk Investments sits in with Kevin Quigg to discuss where the markets are now and what people should be looking for. ]]>E11: Google search & ETF education | The market for battery metals | Funny first jobsMon, 23 Jul 2018 18:06:23 +0000On this episode of Exponential ETFs Exceptional Podcast Christian Magoon, CEO of Amplify ETFs, Tom Lydon, CEO of ETF Trends, Josh Blechman, Director of Capital Markets at Exponential ETFs get together to discuss ETF education along with a star cameo appearance by Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management.]]>NoOn this episode of Exponential ETFs Exceptional Podcast Christian Magoon, CEO of Amplify ETFs, Tom Lydon, CEO of ETF Trends, Josh Blechman, Director of Capital Markets at Exponential ETFs get together to discuss ETF education along with a star cameo appearance by Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management.]]>E10: Be right a little more often than you are wrong | Why are people in the military so successful in finance?Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:34:10 +0000Phil is joined by Josh Brown and Rick Ferri to discuss how to be successful in the financial industry as well as on Twitter.]]>NoPhil is joined by Josh Brown and Rick Ferri to discuss how to be successful in the financial industry as well as on Twitter.]]>E9: Russell Rebalance | Summer Life Hacks | The Morningstar ConferenceTue, 10 Jul 2018 13:33:10 +0000Phil and Kevin are joined by Kristen Mierzwa, Managing Director of ETP Strategy and Business Development at FTSE Russell, to discuss the frenzy around the Russell Rebalance, a rundown of The Morningstar Conference, and share their thoughts on the best condiment of all time.]]>NoPhil and Kevin are joined by Kristen Mierzwa, Managing Director of ETP Strategy and Business Development at FTSE Russell, to discuss the frenzy around the Russell Rebalance, a rundown of The Morningstar Conference, and share their thoughts on the best condiment of all time.]]>E8: Going Independent with John Davi | Game Theory | Twitter: the good, the bad, and the uglyMon, 02 Jul 2018 20:48:58 +0000Phil and Kevin are joined by John Davi, Founder & CIO at Astoria Portfolio Advisors and Charles Ragauss, Director of Product Management at Exponential ETFs, to discuss going independent in the ETF industry.]]>NoPhil and Kevin are joined by John Davi, Founder & CIO at Astoria Portfolio Advisors and Charles Ragauss, Director of Product Management at Exponential ETFs, to discuss going independent in the ETF industry.]]>E7: Building ETF awareness | Generations of wealth management | Does anyone go to the movies anymore?Wed, 27 Jun 2018 22:13:33 +0000Phil and Kevin are joined by Nate Geraci, President of The ETF Store, and Charles Ragauss, Director of Product Management at Exponential ETFs, to share their experiences building ETF education and awareness, highlight generational differences in ETF investors, and debate moviegoing in 2018.]]>NoPhil and Kevin are joined by Nate Geraci, President of The ETF Store, and Charles Ragauss, Director of Product Management at Exponential ETFs, to share their experiences building ETF education and awareness, highlight generational differences in ETF investors, and debate moviegoing in 2018.]]>E6: Placing bets on crypto | East Coast vs. West Coast living | The conference industryMon, 11 Jun 2018 18:45:25 +0000NoE5: ACSI in the news | The church of buy and hold | Defined benefit plans vs. defined contributionWed, 30 May 2018 17:57:28 +0000 Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak share big news on the ACSI ETF, discuss whether ETFs make DIY investors and financial advisors more active traders than they should be, and explain defined benefit plans vs. defined contributions.]]>No Kevin Quigg and Phil Bak share big news on the ACSI ETF, discuss whether ETFs make DIY investors and financial advisors more active traders than they should be, and explain defined benefit plans vs. defined contributions.]]>E4: Backtesting - should you trust it? | The future of SRI | Marijuana ETFsMon, 14 May 2018 17:25:32 +0000NoE3: FAANG trade | March Madness | Has Bitcoin jumped the shark?Tue, 01 May 2018 21:02:22 +0000NoE2: Pet Peeves | Smart Beta | ETF TradingMon, 16 Apr 2018 19:01:40 +0000NoPilot: Winners and Losers | Why in the world would you start an ETF company? | The Great Pizza DebateMon, 02 Apr 2018 14:22:15 +0000No